Tusi Pisi
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18 June 1982
.jpg) Pisi in 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Tusiata Pisi 18 June 1982 Apia, Samoa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 93 kg (14 st 9 lb; 205 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Massey High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | George Pisi, Ken Pisi (brothers) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tusi Pisi (born 18 June 1982) is a Samoan former international rugby union player who played at various levels in Europe, Japan and New Zealand. His position was fly half, but he had also played at centre and full back.
He is currently the head coach of the Samoan national team.
Born in Apia, Samoa, Pisi's parents moved him and his brother George (who also played professional rugby) to Auckland as youngsters.[1]
He was later educated at Massey High School, where Pisi became First XV captain whilst playing for his school.[2][3] After finishing high school, Pisi started to play rugby for Massey Rugby Club before joining North Harbour semi-professionally in 2002.
In 2003, he was selected for the New Zealand Colts, playing alongside the likes of All Black players Jerome Kaino and Stephen Donald.[3]
Over time, he established himself as a constant player in the North Harbour team, and in 2006, he was named in the Pacific Islanders squad for their 2006 European tour, where he started at fly-half in all three matches.
In 2007, he signed his first professional contract with Super Rugby side the Crusaders,[4] but left the side after a year and signed with the then Pro D2 side Toulon.
He became a Pro D2 champion in his first season, and helped the side to promotion to the Top 14 ahead of the 2008–09 Top 14 season.
After two full seasons in France, Pisi moved to Japan, signing for Suntory Sungoliath in Tokyo, where he won the Japan Rugby League One in 2012 and 2013. Whilst still at Suntory, Pisi also played in the Super Rugby, firstly with the Hurricanes between 2012 and 2013, and then later the Sunwolves in 2016.
In 2011, Pisi madę his international debut for Samoa, after choosing to represent his country of his birth. He stated in the opening round of the 2011 IRB Pacific Nations Cup, where Samoa finished bottom with just one win. He was later selected for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand,[5] an accolade he replicated in the 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cup.
He was part of the golden age of Samoan rugby, which saw Samoa record regular wins over Tier 1 opposition; including Australia, Italy, Scotland and Wales.
In March 2016, Pisi signed a 2-year contract with English side Bristol, where after three years, returned to Japan to play for Toyota Industries Shuttles[6][7]
In 2021, Pisi retired from playing rugby, and transitioned into coaching.
